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A Macworld/iWorld Lament
I can't say I was surprised when IDG World Expo's Paul Kent broke the news to us at TUAW that Macworld/iWorld 2015 was canceled and that the longtime Mac lovefest was on hiatus. It's kind of like having a good friend who has been ill for a long time, getting thinner every time you see him – you aren't surprised when the friend passes away, but you're saddened just the same. Now, we don't honestly know if Macworld/iWorld will be back in the future or not. The word "hiatus" is defined as "a break or interruption in the continuity of a work, series, action, etc.", so we can hold out hope that at some future point, the expo will be resurrected. But to be honest with you, I don't think that's going to happen. The world has changed a lot since the first Macworld Expo in 1985. My first trips to Macworld were in the late 1980s. At the time, I was working for a gas pipeline company as a "special projects supervisor," which I turned into an IT director position as the PC revolution exploded. We were an all-Mac shop thanks to my insistence on staying away from DOS, and about the only place to go to get a hands-on look at the latest in Mac peripherals and accessories was Macworld Expo. Local Apple dealers at that time carried just a hint of the many products that were available, so between Macworld magazine, (which also passed away within the last month), MacUser magazine (which died a long time ago), and the annual Expos, that was how we got our product info. That era was also pre-Internet, so there was no way to "get online" and get detailed product descriptions from vendors. Local bulletin board systems (BBSs) were good for keeping in touch with local Mac users and swapping freeware, but that was about it. Macworld Expo in the late 1980s was impressive: the show usually covered the full floor at Moscone Center, and it took serious planning and effort over Irish Coffees at the Buena Vista for someone from our team to visit each booth. Of course, Apple had a large presence at the show, and we would talk with Apple reps about enterprise-related gizmos like NuBus Ethernet cards and 3270 terminal emulation software, or try to negotiate a bigger discount on large purchases (Guess what? We never could...). There were conference sessions, back room meetings with software vendors, and of course the occasional keynotes with such notables as John Sculley and Jean-Louis Gasseé. Macworld was more than just San Francisco, too. Shows in Boston and New York made the Expo more accessible to those on the East Coast, and it was at the 1993 Macworld in Boston that the Newton MessagePad was introduced -- one of my employees was at the show that year and FedEx'd an original Newton MessagePad to me, probably the first one in Denver. Unfortunately, shortly after that time Apple's executive presence at shows and conferences was taken over by Michael Spindler, who was about as exciting and charismatic as a pile of mud. Spindler was followed in 1996 by Gil Amelio, who surprisingly had even less charisma than Spindler. Things got exciting again when Steve Jobs came back in 1997, giving the first of his patented "Stevenotes" at the Boston show. Although I wasn't in attendance at Macworld for quite a few years in the late 90s and early 00's, I remember avidly following the news of Jobs' talks, simply because every time he talked, the news got better, the products became more exciting, and it looked like Apple was coming back from the grave. After a hiatus (there's that word again) from Macworld during a stint with IBM, I began attending Macworld San Francisco in 2006. This time, I was looking at the show with the eyes of a consultant and blogger. The Apple Consultant Network had a presence at the show – we'd actually volunteer to answer questions on the show floor – and it was a blast. Apple was still in attendance at the show, and if I recall correctly the show floor covered not only the main hall at Moscone Center, but also Moscone North. One thing I remember vividly from the 2006 or 2007 show (my memory's not that good) was a large iPod game display that was run by Apple in Moscone North. Remember, iOS wasn't yet in existence, but this was for the games that ran on the iPod! Macworld always had a big focus on music, and during those years, Moscone North seemed to be the location for the band stage and talks on using Macs in music. There was no iPad, there were no iPhones, so music – if you wanted to make it – was being performed with the assistance of Macs. My most vivid memory of Macworld Expo was being in the keynote for the iPhone in 2007. I think I got into the line at 4 AM... which put me towards the back of the keynote venue. The Stevenote was probably one of the most electric events I've ever been to. You knew when Steve announced the iPhone and described its functionality – even in those early days – that we were seeing something that would literally change the company that invented it and change the world. After the keynote, thousands of us gathered around the single iPhone prototype rotating in a Lexan cylinder, knowing that we wouldn't actually get our hands on the device for quite a few months. The iPhone really marked a big change in the focus of the show, which turned from being truly Mac-oriented to what a lot of us old-timers referred to as "iPhone Case World". At the 2008 show, many of us wondered if all we'd see at future Macworlds would be iPhone accessories. 2009 was the last year that Apple had a presence at Macworld, and that was also the year that there was a lot of discussion about whether or not the show would even continue into the future. Without Apple, was Macworld relevant? I think 2009 was the year that IDG World Expo had an attendee forum at which people could speak out about what they thought should happen with the show in the future. Some of us felt that the expo was no longer relevant in the Internet age, that all of the presentations and vendor demos could be better done online. Others thought that it was time to move Macworld Expo out of San Francisco and into a smaller show that roamed the world. The discussion was for naught... In 2012, Macworld became Macworld/iWorld, reflecting how iOS devices – both iPhone and the iPad released in 2010 – had changed Apple's focus away from the Mac and towards the touch-interface mobile devices we're all using. During a few of these years, TUAW had a presence at the show in the form of a booth – we did a lot of live broadcasting from our booth, including interviews with a number of notables in the Apple world as well as vendors of hardware and software. A regular event for TUAW fans was the annual TUAW Meetup. Probably the best one was in 2012, when a large number of TUAW readers gathered at Jillian's across the street from Moscone North to have fun and have a chance to win prizes donated by sponsors. That year, one of the three founders of Apple –- Ron Wayne –- attended the event. That was definitely a fascinating thing to experience, especially when Ron was the winner of one of the big giveaway items! One of the things that was a constant throughout the latter years of Macworld and Macworld/iWorld was the camaraderie of the attendees. Whether it was going to the loud and boisterous Cirque du Mac party sponsored by The Mac Observer every year, or just going out with a group of friends to get great Indian food at Mehfil, eating with other tech bloggers and PR folks at Appency's annual event, or joining the ranks of the bloggers and writers at the "Ink-Stained Wretches Dinner" sponsored by TidBITS, sharing food and talk during the show was a major tradition. I recall hosting a Newton Meetup one year at Chili's, attended by a number of people who brought their working Newton MessagePads to the event. It was always fun to meet TUAW readers and (when we actually were allowed to do podcasts) listeners and viewers of our various podcasts. There's something great about meeting people in the flesh rather than just knowing them by an email address or Twitter handle. Finally getting to meet Patrice Brend'amour at this year's Macworld/iWorld was wonderful, and my hope was that the show would go on so I could meet our other buddies like Hal Sherman and Ben Roethig. The past few years seemed to be an indication that the show was changing, not necessarily for the better. While Macworld had filled large venues in the past, this last year it seemed that it was struggle just to fill the small Moscone North hall -- a venue that previously had been an "overflow" area from the main floor. The conference talks were just as good as usual, but the number of vendors making the investment in a booth had dwindled. Some vendors came to the show, but only for meetings off the Expo floor. So, will Macworld/iWorld return from its "hiatus" in future years? I honestly don't know. For many out-of-town visitors, the show was a large expense when we toted up airfare, hotel expenses, meals, and ground transportation. For companies exhibiting at the show, the cost was even more onerous –- although tax deductible. San Francisco's deep union ties made it impossible for any company to set up a small booth without the paid assistance of union helpers. I recall two run-ins with union workers; one who threatened to have me arrested for actually plugging in an Ethernet hub without his help, the other when I was shooting some video before the show actually opened. In both cases, a combination of laughing at them and using obscene gestures seemed to defuse the situation... My personal wish is that the show comes back as a one- or two-day event in a number of cities, not just San Francisco. Get a much smaller venue in six or seven cities in the US, Europe, and Asia, have a one-day event that captures both the heart of Macworld/iWorld, provides an opportunity for the parties and meetups that make the event so fun, and gives vendors a chance to show off their latest software or accessories. Or how about creating a virtual event that EVERYONE could attend? Streaming conference talks, virtual booth visits, and even online meetups could be a way to get the feel of the event without having to hop on a plane, fly to San Francisco, and then pick up the flu after being around a large crowd of sneezing attendees. It's almost 2015, folks – there should be a way to do a virtual event for 100,000 people. If there isn't, perhaps IDG World Expo could lead the way in developing a method of creating virtual conferences, reinventing itself for the 21st Century. If not IDG World Expo, maybe TUAW's corporate overlord AOL could look at footing the bill... are you listening, Tim Armstrong? I truly do hope that the loss of 2015 Macworld/iWorld is just a hiatus and not the announcement of the end of the show. If IDG World Expo has the opportunity, will and financial backing to keep the show going in a new format, I think Macworld/iWorld could survive and even prosper. What are your most vivid memories of Macworld or Macworld/iWorld? We'd all like to know, and you can relive those memories in the comments below.
R.I.P. Macworld/iWorld
Macworld/iWorld, which has been the premiere event for Apple fans since 1985, is officially "going on hiatus" according to IDG World Expo. The show will not take place in 2015, although the MacIT event for enterprise professionals will continue. Here's the official statement from Paul Kent of IDG World Expo, who led the event for many years: "We are announcing today that Macworld/iWorld is going on hiatus, and will not be taking place as planned in 2015. Our MacIT event, the world's premiere event for deploying Apple in the enterprise, will continue next year with details to be announced in the coming weeks. Since 1985, Macworld events have brought together a community to celebrate the incredible innovations that Apple has brought into the world, shining a spotlight on the developers who add value to the user's experience in infinite ways. As Apple products and the related ecosystem have changed, so has the marketplace, and we are proud to have played a part in that evolution. Literally thousands of companies and hundreds of products have come to market at Macworld, and countless professional relationships have been forged. We'd like to take this opportunity to thank the Apple community for allowing us to host these events and be a part of the incredible story that is the Apple market. We are committed via our MacIT event to bringing together the product developers innovating with enterprise iOS and OS X based solutions, and the growing legion of professionals empowering their organizations through these tools. We are exploring exciting new partnerships, venues and delivery opportunities through which MacIT can continue to serve this market, and we look forward to announcing our plans for this event within the next few months."
Macworld / iWorld 2014 rescheduled to March 27-29
Macworld is reporting that the premiere Apple event for iFans, Macworld/iWorld, has been rescheduled for 2014. Initially, the event had been scheduled for February 1-3, 2014, conflicting with the Super Bowl and moving the schedule to Saturday - Monday instead of the usual Thursday - Saturday timing. Macworld's Lex Friedman broke the news this morning, and said that IDG World Expo will formally announce the date change tomorrow. One other benefit of moving the event to the end of March 2014 is that it gives the expo some distance from CES, which is often just one or two weeks before Macworld/iWorld.
Macworld | iWorld attendance steady in 2012; many newbies in the crowd
Attendance at this year's Macworld | iWorld event was approximately the same as last year's Macworld Expo -- about 25,000 people -- according to IDG World Expo, the group that organizes the "ultimate fan event." A wrap-up news release from IDG World Expo noted that about 40 percent of the attendees at this year's event were first-time visitors, which may translate to growth in attendance for next year's event scheduled for January 31 - February 2, 2013. Conference attendance was up a whopping 145 percent over last year, thanks in part to the $75 iFan Pass that made its debut in 2012. In the past, expo tickets were relatively inexpensive, but the cost of going to the conference sessions was prohibitively high. The iFan pass gave show-goers unlimited access to the educational sessions, show floor, music performances, and film screenings that made up this year's event. IDG World Expo has posted a gallery of photos from Macworld | iWorld as well as a video (see below) of Friday's happenings at Moscone West. Both are worth checking out for a taste of this year's event.
Modest Mouse headlining Macworld | iWorld Opening Night BLAST
Last week, I interviewed IDG World Expo's Paul Kent about the upcoming Macworld | iWorld 2012. After discussing all of the exciting changes to this year's event (the video will be part of this Wednesday's TUAW TV Live), Paul said he had an announcement that he'd spring on us on Monday. That announcement was just sent out -- Macworld | iWorld starts off with a bang the night of January 25, 2012 with a concert headlined by Grammy-nominated indie rockers Modest Mouse. The concert, known officially as the Macworld | iWorld Opening Night BLAST, is at The Warfield, a 2300-seat venue on Market Street not far away from the home of the expo at Moscone West. Doors for the concert open at 7 PM, and tickets are available now as part of a US$110 (today only) package that also includes the $75 iFan pass for attending all events that are part of Macworld | iWorld. It's definitely not too early to start thinking about getting your iFan pass for Macworld | iWorld; the price with the concert jumps up to $135 tomorrow, and seats are limited.
Looking forward to Macworld Expo 2011, despite John Dvorak
OK, I'm the first to admit that I didn't feel Macworld Expo had much of a future without Apple. After all, I was the guy responsible for the graphic that showed a gravestone with "Macworld Expo 1985 - 2010: Rest In Peace" engraved on it (my apologies to Paul Kent of IDG World Expo for that...). But even in that post, I still ended on a note of hope about the show. Many of our readers, however, agreed in an informal poll that the show had seen better days and that without Apple, Macworld Expo 2010 would be the last stop. Longtime PC Magazine writer John Dvorak took the decidedly negative path in a recent post titled "Macworld Expo's Iffy Future." Based on a single quick walk through of the Expo captured on video, he concluded that the show is dead: "Last one? I think so." After spending a few days at Macworld Expo 2010, I have exactly the opposite opinion to Dvorak. 2010 was the year that many vendors stayed away from the show, thinking that it just wasn't worth the time and effort. Nearly every exhibitor I talked to at the show said without reservation that they'd be back next year, and I've heard from many hardware and software vendors who say that even though they weren't in San Francisco this year, they'll be there in 2011. Just as I'm certain that spring crocuses will soon peek through the snow, I'm confident that Macworld Expo will be back in 2011 with even more exhibitors and visitors. Why? Let's go through some reasons.
Contemplating the uncertain future of Macworld Expo
Jim Dalrymple has been around the Mac community for years, so when he talks, people listen. That's why yesterday's post at Dalrymple's blog, LoopInsight, was so fascinating and got me thinking about whether or not Dalrymple was right in his assertion that things don't look good for the future of Macworld Expo. The post was titled "Macworld Expo 2010: Success story or a disaster waiting to happen," and it outlined the reasons why this year's Expo in San Francisco could very well be the last. Dalrymple begins tolling the death knell with a list of the big names that won't be attending the show this year -- Apple (of course), Adobe, Epson, and Griffin to name a few. He then brings up the fact that with a month to go until the doors open on the Expo, there are only 157 listed exhibitors. Many of those exhibitors are familiar to Apple fans, but then again, there are a lot of small and unknown iPhone developers on the list as well. Dalrymple's point that even the press is turning away from the Expo is more daunting. Without a Steve Jobs keynote to attract the world media, the show seems to be entering its death throes. Less media attention means less attention to exhibitor products, which means fewer exhibitors are going to find it worthwhile to pay the price to display their wares.
E for All advertised at Macworld Expo
IDG World Expo, the company that puts on the Macworld Expo, is already advertising its Tea for Two Expo E for All Expo at this Mac convention with stacks of fliers greeting show visitors. (We hope there's a Mac games audience here this week; is that the reason for the fliers? Is IDG Expo just trying to reach show-goers on the way to the iPhone?)Of course, it's hard to predict the show vibe of the EA Expo E for All Expo, but these cards and their edgy Halloween font scream "attitude to the max" or maybe just "quick turnaround." If E3 died because it cost exhibitors too much to cause a scene -- waving shiny models at retailers and the media -- here's hoping that E4EVR E for All reigns in some of the hype. Nah, who are we kidding? If it's aimed at a consumer audience, won't that just be an excuse for more noise?See the full fliers after the break.
